The School Book of Forestry eBook

When trees are grown in nurseries, the practice is
to sow the seed in special beds filled with rich soil.
Lath screens are used as shade. They protect
the young seedlings from the sun just as the parent
trees would do in the forest. The seedbeds are
kept well cultivated and free of weeds so that the
seedlings may have the best opportunities for rapid
growth. Generally the seeds are sown in the spring
between March and May. Such seeds as the elms
and soft maples, which ripen in the early summer, are
sown as soon as possible after they are gathered.
Practical tests have shown that thick sowings of tree
seeds give the best results. There is little
danger of weeds smothering out the seedlings under
such conditions. After the seed has germinated
the beds may be thinned so that the seedlings will
have more room to develop.

During the fall of the same year, or in the following
spring, the seedlings should be transplanted to nursery
rows. Thereafter it is customary to transplant
the young trees at least once again during damp weather.
When the trees finally are robust and vigorous and
have reached the age of two to five years, they are
dug up carefully and set out permanently. The
usual practice is to keep the seedlings one year in
the seedbed and two years in the nursery rows before
they are set out. Whether the transplanting should
take place during the spring or fall depends largely
on the climate and geography of the locality.
Practical experience is the best guide in such matters.

Some farmers and land owners are now interested in
setting out hardwood forests for commercial purposes.
If they do not wish to purchase their seedlings from
a reliable nursery-man, they can grow them from carefully
selected seed planted in well-prepared seedbeds.
The popular practice is to sow the seed in drills about
2 to 3 feet apart so that horses may be used for cultivation.
The seeds are sown to a depth of 2 to 3 times their
thickness. They are placed close enough in the
drill so that from 12 to 15 seedlings to the linear
foot result. In order to hasten the sprouting
of the seeds, some planters soak them in cold water
for several days before sowing. In the case of
such hard-coated seed as the black locust or honey
locust, it is best to soak them in hot water before
planting.

CHAPTER II

THE FOREST FAMILIES

Trees are as queer in picking out places to live and
in their habits of growth as are the peoples of the
various races which inhabit the world. Some trees
do best in the icy northland. They become weak
and die when brought to warm climates. Others
that are accustomed to tropical weather fail to make
further growth when exposed to extreme cold.
The appearance of Jack Frost means death to most of
the trees that come from near the equator. Even
on the opposite slopes of the same mountain the types
of trees are often very different. Trees that